Zoega

Zoega, also spelled Zoëga, is a Nordic surname. The diacritic variant Zoëga reflects a historical pronunciation. The name is most common in Iceland and Denmark and occurs in other Nordic countries and among diasporic communities. Etymology is not definitively established in common reference works; as with many Nordic surnames, it may have originated as a family or patronymic name and later fixed as a hereditary surname in some lineages. In historical sources, the form Zoëga is encountered in connection with scholars and travelers of Greek antiquity; in particular Georg Zoëga, a Danish archaeologist active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, is a notable bearer who contributed to classical studies. In contemporary contexts, Zoega is encountered among Icelandic and Danish individuals in various fields, including academia, arts, and public life, reflecting its broad Nordic heritage. The name does not designate a specific place, organization, or cultural unit beyond being a surname.